>> this is "battleground virginia," and abc 7 vote 2012 news special. >> good evening and welcome to our second "battleground virginia" special. >> the presidential candidates have two debates under their belt was one more to go on monday. >> the race could not be any tighter in battleground virginia according to polls. the president leading by just one percentage point with 3% still undecided. >> we get -- we go to our senior political reporter with how virginia voters are feeling tonight. >> they are feeling nervous. it is hard to be confident when you look at those numbers regardless of what side you are on, but when we talk with

northern virginia specifically they are also feeling a sense of urgency. >> we can have that future, but you've got to vote. >> that is what we're talking doing, and we can do this. >> you can hear it in their voices -- the pressure of a clock now taking at a dizzying pace and atop their concerns -- virginia where new polls show a statistical tie. at george mason university the stage is being set for the president to hit campus for the second time in two weeks. the adding up fast. since june, mitt romney has come to the commonwealth 20 times. tomorrow will be the president's 18th. only ohio and florida topped those numbers. today, the president in new hampshire and new york. >> we've got a debate on monday on foreign policy, add i am very interested in seeing what governor romney has to say about

this. >> backing him up, president clinton and bruce springsteen in ohio. for mitt romney, a rare day with no rally but his running mate was in florida. >> we the people run the government, not the other way around. the government works for the people. >> and his surrogate, a little surprise, once again talking about the old dominion on tv. >> his friends on is that -- the trends are unmistakably going toward mitt romney. five months ago, mitt romney was down eight points in virginia. today, almost all the polls have him up one, two or more points. >> both men will tonight be together for an election-year tradition, a charity dinner with a folk -- poke a little fun at themselves. plenty more tv appearances. today, on the jon stewart "daily show" and annthe president

and ann romeny on "the >> loudon county is a bellwether county. the highest median income of any in the country nearly $120,000. last august, president obama said "we won last time i 11 county, and if we win again, we win virginia, and if we winvirginia, we win the election." >> i think it is up for grabs. i think the president has a good chance to take this county and this town, but governor romney has been running a fairly strong campaign. >> latin county is the new va with an old virginian name, the namesake of early gladden, who according to historians was a person utterly lacking in initiative ability and intelligence, quite unlike today's up-and-coming citizens. >> my opinion is -- the county is leaning republican. i am and small business owner in

leesburg, and i think more people are moving towards the republican idea. >> some folks cannot get past mitt romney's 47% remark. >> i believe that obama has articulated a strategy that takes care of the greatest number of people and looks out for the common good. >> for the past decade, as the county population has doubled horse farms have given away to new housing and its hispanic population has tripled. >> this will be your first time voting? >> yes. >> are you excited? famishes a brand new citizen and a first-time voter. although she favors president obama's immigration policies, she is still undecided. >> when i look to them, they do not say anything concrete. >> mitt romney was back in leesburg just last night. >> we have 20 days. we need to take back america. it is up to you guys in virginia. >> we all know good well that

cutting sesame street is no way to balance the budget. >> last week, michelle obama was urging the voters to get out the 2008 vote -- minorities, younger people, and women. >> for me, i am fortunate that i have good health insurance. i think the affordable care act will provide things for people who need them. >> although loudon county went for obama in 2008, david shaffer thinks it will go for romney this year. >> i think that he has a better plan for the future, and i think he is correct in asserting that so far, obama's campaign has not been about what he is going to do in the next four years. it is about what mitt romney might do to us, and that kind of dialogue is never going to win me over. >> loudon county's unemployment rate is very low, but the specter of sequestration that is

looming on automatic cuts and spending have county residents worried. a lot of government contractors in the neighborhood. >> and they are not the only ones worried. thank you. let's take it across the river. while maryland is not considered a bat against it in this presidential election, it does have three very important controversial issues on the ballot here the most heavily advertised is whether to expand gaming in maryland. that expansion would allow for a casino at the national party -- harbor at prince george's county. questions about the state's current same-sex marriage law already in place pierre this referendum will lead voters decide if a lesbian couples will be able to marry. and question 4 would allow undocumented immigrants to pay in the state tuition rates at state colleges in the meet conditions. for more on what is on the ballot just go to our website.

>> but first, still ahead voters both campaigns are going after for the first time in virginia and why they could play such an important role in this election. >> plus, two former virginia governors go head-to-head in the u.s. senate race. >> i am confident that virginians are going to stand strong for freedom. >> i think i have a track recor pamela howze: it just seems like such an... infringement on our lives. how dare they step into my life that way. it's none of their business.

he's trying to restrict us again. he's taking us backwards. george allen is the last thing we need in washington. anncr: the democratic senatorial campaign committee is... responsible for the content of this advertising. scott pelley: "you made on your investments, personally, about 0 $20 million last year, and you paid 14% in federal taxes,

that'she capital gains rate. is that fair to the gu who makes $50,000 and paid a higher rate than you did? so you think it is fair?" romney: "yeah, i think it's the right way to encourage economic growth." lower tax rates for him...than us. is that the way to grow america? i'm barack obama, and i approve this messa.

>> there's another big virginia race that will have a big impact on the entire country. >> that is the senate seat vacated by jim webb. >> polling shows democrats have gained five percentage points out ahead of republican george allen, but there are still undecided voters. rebecca cooper sat down to talk with both candidates. >> he's a former governor, senator, and once touted possible presidential candidate, but that came crashing down when george allen lost his senate seat in 2006. dam good. i need your vote. >> george allen called one of the country's most accomplished governors. >> this fellow here over -- over here with the yellow shirt macaca or whatever his name is. >> allen insists he did not mean any harm by the word and has

apologized to the young man, but he wants to move on. >> i'm sorry for what it did to him and distracted the campaign away from the issues. in this campaign, we are focused on the issues that families and small business owners care about. >> also a small business owner and mentioned as a presidential candidate, tim kane says he wants to focus the government and growing economy, like improvements to the infrastructure. battle and i was governor -- >> when i was governor, virginia was repeatedly voted the most business-friendly state, and the reason they cite as they do not think virginia is investing in infrastructure we need. and the candidates talk about jobs including potential job losses. the plan to avoid this cuts includes a tax hike on anyone earning more than $500,000 a year. >> i am mindful of small businesses, and that is why at the meeting the threshold makes a lot of sense. the cuts that we will make under

my scenario will hurt people, too. >> alan supports a plan passed by house republicans, but it included medicare cuts, something he says he would take out. he says he would raise revenue by cutting non-defense spending reducing regulation, encouraging oil and gas exploration, and closing tax loopholes, but it does not say -- but he does not say which one. >> i am pulling his proposals are popular with many voters. still -- you remain behind in this race according to most polls. >> i am confident that when we get to election day, anyone who uses electricity, a tragic car the health care decisions ought to be made by doctors and patients, anybody who works for a living, anyone who pays taxes or cares about the future of their children or grandchildren will be on our side. famines campaign crisscrosses the state to win over undecided voters. he insists it is his record making tough choices as governor

best suited to the senate today. >> is not a solution that does not involve sacrifice, and i just want to make sure it is truly shared sacrifice. >> for more on what both candidates had to say about the economy, just go to wjla.com. >> in an upcoming special, we hear from both men on hot-button social issues as well. >> that's right. coming up, we let in on the battle for va. >> and there's one very specific group of virginia voters as governor,

i cut five billion dollars in spending and balanced the budget every year. and tim kaine and i both cut our own pay as governors to lead by example. mark warner and i reached across party lines to get tngs done. we were a great team in richmond and we'll be areat team in washington. i'm tim kai and i approve this message ...because we'll work together to restore fiscal responsibility grow our economy and create jobs. [

male announcer ] tim kaine. bringing people together to tackle the challenges of tomorrow. [ mitt romney ] look at the evidence of the last four years. we've got 23 million people out of work or stopped looking for work. they're suffering in this coury. the president would prefer raising taxes. the problem with raising taxes is that it slows down the rate of gwth. i'm not going to raise taxes on anyone because whe the economy's growing slow like this, when we're in recession you shouldn't raise taxes on anyone. y plan is to bring down rates to get more people working. my priority is putting people back to work in america. i'm mitt romney and i approve this message. ah. fire bad! just have to fire roast these tomatoes. do you churn your own butter too? what? this is going to give you a head start on your dinner. that seems easier sure does who are you? [ female announcer ] new progresso recipe starters. five delicious cooking sauces you combine with fresh ingredients to make amazing home-cooked meals.

♪ ♪ ambiance [ female announcer ] new progresso recipe starters. your head-start to home cooked. >> this campaign has seen plenty of firsts. a record amount of money being raised and shown, and for the first time, massive efforts to win over a growing and important voting bloc. >> we're talking about asian- americans. with a close race in virginia, some say they could make the difference. >> they are among, by statistics, the smartest and richest voters in the country. however, in past presidential races, they have also been largely ignored, largely untapped. that is, until now. that everybody feeling good? >> @ obama's church headquarters, a very specific rally cry. >> all of you will have a stake in this election.

>> asian-american voters are being targeted in a way unlike the past. customized signs and stickers in multiple languages, and on this day, some star power as well. >> it behooves the campaign -- either campaign, really -- to reach out to their communities -- to these communities and speak to them in their own languages. >> it makes a difference. >> are you surprised you are seeing all this out bridge? >> no surprise at all. >> all of that translates into "get out and vote. meanwhile, a different tune. "vote romney," this small business says. a fan of lowering tax rates and not a fan of obamacare. >> i come from vietnam. his idea tries to -- i don't

want to say communist, but the idea is exactly the same period >> it is critical. it might tip the balance. >> case in point, 2006, jim webb beat george allen 5.5%, and three out of four asian americans voted red. in 2008, devoted obama over mccain by a margin of 31, and keep in mind, their numbers have almost doubled. >> we see that the power of our road is very important. >> judging by the amount of posters and press, the campaign does, too. >> despite those opposed there's really no guarantee. as a matter of fact, republican bob macdonald pulled in about 60% of the asian-american votes in his successful bid for governor. further, several people told me that the asian community as a whole -- asian-american community as a whole -- tends to vote more on policy than

personality. >> thank you. we will watch and see what happens. still ahead, we talk about what it will take to win virginia and what we can expect to see in the final 19 days of campaigning.

scott pelley: "you made on yourinvestments, personally, about $20 million last year, and you paid 14% in federal taxes, that's the capital gains rate. is that fair to the guy who makes $50,000 and paid a higher rate than you did? so you think it is fair?" romney: "yeah, i think it's the right w to encourage economic growth." lower tax rates for him...than us. is that the way to grow america? i'm barack obama, and i approve this message.

>> welcome back to our " battleground virginia" special. quick question about the first presidential debate -- as you

know, republicans were out there on the ledge ready to jump before that debate, and then the poles song in that other direction. how do you account for that? >> in some ways, you might argue that mitt romney was able to color in the issues a little bit better and in a way that was to his own liking. we are talking about months of advertisements that painted him in a very negative light. was a huge audience -- they saw him for the first time. they saw a different kind of character than the caricature they had seen on tv in the past, and i think it was a surprise for many americans that he was so dominant that first debate in such a commanding way. >> let me bring in loudon county. romney has been there 20 times. the president has been there 18 times. how important is loudon county? >> it is incredibly important. if you look at the nine-state, swing state battleground area, a to qualify as one of the most essential counties in the nation

because of its bellwether function. for many years, it was a strongly republican county, but over time, because of its increasing diversity voting patterns there began to change, and right now, political operatives on both sides of the i'll look at it very closely to see whic winds are blowing. obama won in 2008, but prior to that, it was a george bush counted twice. >> what i the numbers showing in virginia as a whole? >> what is really interesting is you see a slight uptick in the polls, and it came over fairly consistent time when over a dozen polls showed president obama in the lead. five of the seven polls have shown a very narrow mitt romney lead, and this would be one of the swing states that republicans are cautiously optimistic about, and i feel pretty good about it compared to

some others. >> two days ago, you vlogged that obama and romney were within five points of each other in major swing states. any indication of what those will show? >> some pollsters were in the field and took a little time but i do not think it will change nearly as dramatically they -- as they did after the denver debate. >> thanks very much. next leon and allison will be backed to wrap.

as governor, i cut five billion dollars in spending and balanced the budget every year. and tim kaine and i both cut our own pay as governors to lead by example. mark warner and i reached across party lines to get things done. we were a great team in richmond and we'll be a great team in washington. i'm tim kaine and i approve this message ...because

we'll work together to restore fiscal responsibility grow our economy and create jobs. [ male announcer ] tim kaine. bringing people together to tackle the challenges of tomorrow.

>> the third and final presidential debate will be held on monday in boca raton florida. bob schieffer will host the debate focusing on foreign policy this time. >> tuesday november 6, you'll get a chance to either obama in office for another four years or choose mitt romney as your new leader. either way, virginia voters will be one of the most important pieces of the puzzle. thanks for watching tonight. >> will be back tuesday night at 7:00 with another [ male annnnouncer ] we the people, the middle class who move our country forward, work hard raise families, and keep america strong. but mitt romney's budget plan will hurt the middle

class, raising taxes on the average family by up to $2,000 while giving a tax break of $250,000 to multimillionaires. doesn't mitt romney understand we can't rebuild amera by tearing down the middle class. priorities usa action is responsible for the content of this advertising. scott pelley: "you made on your investments, personally, about $20 million last year, and you paid 14% in federal taxes,

that's the capital gains rate. is that fair to the guy who makes $50,000 and paid a higher rate than you did? so you think it is fair?" romn: "yeah, i think it's the right way to encoenage economic growth." lower tax rates for him...than us. is t that the way to grow americ i'm barack obama, and i approve this message. as governor, i cut five billion dollars in spending and balanced the budget every year. and tim kaine and i both cut our own pay as governors to lead by example. mark warner and i reached across party lines to get things done. we were a great team in richmond and we'll be a great team in washington. i'm tim kaine and i approve this messagage ...because we'll work together to restore fiscal responsibility grow our economy and ce reate jobs. [ male announcer ] tim kaine. bringing people together